Tray-lifting device.



TRAY IIIIIIIIIIII E.

APP CT.15.19|7| 1,299,475. Patented Apr. -8, 1919.

2 Sl EEEEEEEEEEE l.

@MA l MMMMW# R. HUNTER.

TRAY I IFTING DEVICE.A

` APPLICATION FILED OCT. I5' IQI V1 ,299,475. Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

f nested within the trunk fact that special novel locking ,arrangement FCE ' MSS HUNTEe or: MILWAUKEE. WISGQNSIN- ram-@Imre @met To all whom t may concern: 1

Be it known that I, Ross HUNTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwauk'ee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin, havev invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Tray-Lifting Devices, of which the following is a specification. My invention refers to tray lifting devices and particularly to trunks or vpacking eases containing such devices which f` devices comprise a plurality of trays mounted .on lazy tongs so that the whole 'may be extended or or case for ,access thereto or packing thereof, the wholev being), arrangedso as to be easily operable by moving the l-azy tongs.

I ani aware that-it has heretofore been proposed to construct salesmens trunks and the like wherein are employed a series of carried by lazy tongs. Among the objections to such previously proposed arrangements may be mentioned the manner of locking the lazy tongs in extended position; the connections between the lazy tongs `and trays have to be provided, land theV method of operating is far from satisfactory.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a novel and simple locking ydevice for holdingia series Yof nesting trays in eX- tended position.

Another object is to provide a locking arrangement which can be elfected by movement of the tray supports.l

A'further object is to provide a tray lifting device composed of a minimum number of parts and -one-that can be operated with the least possible effort.

. A further object is to provide a set of braced lazy Vtongs adapted to support trays or the like on the braces doing away with special connections between the tray-s and the tongs,l Y

A s ill further object of my invention is to provide a lazy tong arrangement which will permitextending several'trays, and a whereby the opening movement will eectively l'QlS .the iazytongs inv extended positiqlji, and the clos- Saeieeuai 0f Letters. raient 5. are, in the embodiment shown,

`the trays 8.,

Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

Application led October 15, 1917. Serial No. 196,607.

ing movement will unlock the tongs to permit closing thereof.

Another object is to provide a tray lifting device for cases of the class described wherein a novel locking arrangement is pro-vided.

A further Object is to provide an improved packing box or trunk which will be simple in construction, convenient in use and efficient in operation. Y

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawings, wherein-- Figure 1 is a perspective of a packing. case embodying my invention, the trays being shown in extended posit-ion.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the trays extended, the case being shown in section.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the case showing the trays in retracted or compact posi tion and the case closed, and

Fig.v 4 is a topplan view of the top tray.

In the drawings, 5V represents a case or trunk of yany well known construction pro-` vided preferably with casters 6 and the usual type of flat lid 7. Mounted wit iin the case three trays 8, 9 and 10 supported on lazy tongs one at each end of the case 5. The lazy tongs as far as the extensible motion is concerned are of usual construction comprising crossed members 12, 13, pivotally connected at '14, the length of the members 12 and 13 beine such' as to enter the case position as shown in Fig. 3. The lowermost pair of members forming the lazy. tongs are designated as 12av and 13? pivotally conneted at 14? Heretofore, the method' 0f .mounting 9 and 1.0 been to provide slots in the ends of the trays with which registering members on thelazy tongs Coper-ate, or the provision of some other sliding connection between the lazy tongs and the trays themselves, thus necessitating in every instance special trays and special `forms of connection. Such a construction makes removal and replacement of the trays .rather ,dificult- To overcome these lazy *tones and at the ends vice comprising of theY members 12and 13 provided braces '1.5. best. seen aaFa l este/aiding' feels the 5 when in retracted on. the' lazy tones has ends of the members 12 and 13 to the simil arly disposed ends of the lazy tongs at the other vend of the case, thus forming a rack having horizontally disposed braces.' The lifting device therefore forms a compact substantially rigid structure in itself. I prefer to secure the lowerv end of the cross members 12a. to the inner portion of the case 5 making a pivotal connection 12b therebetween but preventing bodily movement thereof. This connection may be made in any desired manner such as, bolts extending through the lower ends of the members l2a and the adjacent ends of the case. VThe lower ends of the members 7.13@ are freevas it is, of course, well' known ythat whenthe lazy tongs are extended the distances betweenthe ends of the members are changed. This fact I use as the basis for my novel Vlocking or holding arrangement.' l

Mounted on thecross braces 15 connecting .the similarly disposed ends of the cross members forming'the lazy tongs are the trays 8, 9 anddlO. These areV provided at their forward under edges with cleats 16 engaging the braces 15 atthe forward portions of the lazy tongs. Provision of these cleats fixes the relative movement of the trayswith respect to the front braces l5, thus permitting sliding movement ofthe rear braces 15 with the several trays mounted vthereon without displacing the trays. In Fig. l, I have shown mounted on the second set of braces two trays 9 and 9a as the nove-l lazy tong arrangement of my invention permits the use of more than one tray if Vdesired without having to re-arrange thetray lifting structure. I-t will be observed that the Ycompensa-tion is between the trays and the `braces and not by lvirtue of any special connectionsy between Vthe trays and the lazy tongs.v Y v Y As handles to operate the lifting arrangement, I prefer to provide flexible member 17 attached preferablyto the front braces 15 and extending through slots 18 in the bottom of the top tray 8, theV slots being positionednear the ends of the tray, thereby applying the lifting forces to the tray supports and not to the trays.

On the bottom of the case '5 near the` rear wall thereof and at each end 'I fasten cleats or stops 20 in any suitable manner such as Vby screws, the endsof the cleats whichV engage the legs 13a being cut under and the ends of the legs-13a being shaped to engage said cut under vportion when -b-rought'into engagement therewith, thus making a doveconnection. The position of the cleats 20 1s such that the lower free ends of the members 18awillv bear thereagainst when' the lifting device is fullyextended and lopened and the exible handles 1 for instance, by

Vnot connected thereto,

fstored by making the 1 sufliciently strong to'sustainthe weight ofthe a body portion andal will form a holding or locking means for the lazy tongs. Y

I rIhe operation of the devicelis Vas follows: The parts being nested within the trunk or .case 5\as' shown in Fig. 3, the to) 7 is are grasped. An upward pull on the handles will extend the tongs and raise the trays. Y hen the tongs have been extended to substantially fully extended positionias determined by the abutment 21, that is when the ends ofthe legs'l'?)a ride over the stops 20, then a slight rearward movement brings the lower free ends ofthe members 13a into rm engagement with the cleatsQO, thus securely locking the tray lifting device in vextended position. `Y The parts then-will bein the position as shown in Figs. 1` and 2. It will'be 1 observedthat access to' all ofthe trays may be readily had and because; ofthefact that the trays `merely rest on the braces and are anyone or all vmay be removedand othertrays or the same trays replaced. .When it is desiredto collapse the trays the. operator` moves the upper tray outwardly, thatis, toward himself, thus caus-V v ing -the lower free end ofthe memberl?)a rto'ridev over the cleat 20 and then lowers the trays rinto V*the position shown in:Fig. 3.

By varying the weight and construction of the various partsit will be readily'seen that the novel tray lifting deviceof my invention may be adapted to support any sort of merchandise.. I prefer toutilize the present arrangement for holdingl apparelwhich is easily Vcrushed Ywhenpacked in Va trunk or box such as shirt waists and the like and therefore theconstruction employ is light in nature. However, asbefore stated, merchandise or goods of `any character may be displayed vory carried or lazy tongs and trays particular goods therein packed. When utilized as a shirt waist box, the'top 7 may .be

coveredjwith Vsuitable:mate-rial to vform anV article ofutilitysuch as a settee, or the casing may be l nished Vin different ykinds Y, of woods or steel to represent any desired article of furniture: kI am awarethat modications ofsuch a device are possible and suchmodifications of which this structureV is susceptible 1I con` Sider as coming within the spirit ofmy invention. j n' Iclaim: The combination with a trunk comprising cover, of a plurality ofV trays itting'within 'said body portion, sets of lazy tongs ysupported within the trunk at the opposite" sides vertically Vswinging which IY prefer/t0* the front and the bottom of the trunk, means and without sliding movement relative to secured Within the trunk against which ,the the front supporting rods and permitting -10 rear lower ends of the sets of lazy tongs enthe tray to slide relative to the rear supportgage to hold the tongs in upwardly extended ing rod during the raising and lowering of y lposition,`"a pair of rods conneoting'fcorrethe trays.

spondlng membersof the sets of tongs upon Signed at Chicago, State of Illinois, this which islsupported a. tray, and means for de- 13th day of October, A. D. 1917. taehably supporting the front of the tray by ROSS HUNTER.

Copies of this patent may heV obtained for lve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, D. C. 

